I Call Thee Forth
by N.V.9
Summary: It is a war between good and evil. Both fighting to surpass the other, but I know of a way to help my side. My Champion, I call thee forth
1. Chapter 1

**1**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Sasuke was only sixteen, and in all of his sixteen years he saw war and nothing else. It started way before his time. These wars, from the history lessons, were said to have started a thousands years ago.

The first war ever documented was said to be a War of the Species: Fay, Pixies, Elves, Human, Mages, Weres, Dwarves, Shifters, Goblins, Gargoyals, Minators, Mermaids, Nymps, and Vampires. Each wanting to rule the others.

It is said that through this War of the Species a demon was born. And when a demon is born an angel quickly follows, as all knew. But because neither could touch the other directly, they created two warriors one made of good and the other of hate. That battle was said to have gone on for centuries, until finally the angel's warrior made a killing blow. The demon, in anger of being defeated, promised a life time of hell as he disappeared beneath the earth.

The angel, with no counter part to balance her, was sent back up to the sky. For a century the species lived with a truce, none of them wanted to fight the demon and his dark army again, but over time the truce faded away and once more the species were back to their old ways.

The demon, hearing the calls of death, began to slowly rise from his prison. Calling to the most tainted of the species, he made them promises that none wished to refused. Soon the demon had Goblins, Garagoyles, Minatours, until they were killed off by the angel's warrior, Mermaids, Nymphs, and Vampires answering to his calls. All followed him as he moved beneath the earth to try and destroy the world.

The angel feeling the connection to him grow, quickly called forth her warrior and sent him to earth. Because the demon had yet to break through the thin barrior, the angel was stuck above the clouds.

The other species that fought the call of the demon- Fay, Pixies, Elves, Human, Mages, Weres, Dwarves, Shifters- quickly pledged themselves to the warrior in hopes that this time when they united they would keep to it.

But no matter what the warrior did, he could not stop the demon. Every creature killed by his blade, was quickly replaced by another, none of which were directly tied to the demon's heart.

Now it was Sasuke's turn to fight in the war. Like many other humans around his age, he knelt before the warrior, who took the name Jiraiya. His right arm fisted and placed above his heart, and his left arm fisted and planted firmly against the earth. The fist above the heart was a promise to the angel, Tsuande. A promise that they would not fall to the demon's call. The fist above the earth was a threat to the demon, Orochimaru. Another promise that they would do all that they could to kill the demon and his followers.

All around the clearing were a mix of species, all of which stuck to their own kinds. Near his human companions, were the Fay and beside them the Pixies.

The Pixies were shockingly small, being the first time Sasuke saw them, he could do nothing but stare at the little size. All of them were as tall as his hand was long, the majority of them female. Their wings never seeming to stop as they sprinkled the golden dust on the brances they knelt upon. Sasuke wondered how they would contribute to the war. They, as he come to notice, very happy creatures that always seemed to be taunting one being or another in their play.

The Fay were very beatiful, both males and females knelt in elegant clothes. Their skins glowing like their own moon as their dark eyes and hair made even the darkest of nights seem bright. Sasuke always thought that Fay had wings, or so the fairy tales said. How wrong he was. He also thought Fay would be kind and playful, but again he was wrong. The Pixies were the playful bunch and the Fay were more cold. A glare from them usually bringing tears to anyone stupid enough to look at them too long. The Fay seemed more secretive as if they were playing a game no one else knew. When Sasuke had arrived with his brother and cousin, Obitio, he had been stunned by the odd resemblence they carried to the Fay, but as the Fay had pointed out, they would always lack to the Fay. Even if they were beautiful for a human, they were nothing but rugs and stone beneath the Fay's feet. Sasuke could honestly say he hated them after that. He knew Itachi and Obitio also felt the same way, and so all three avoided any Fay.

To the left of his group were the Elves. They were graceful creatures that favored the bow. They didn't walk like the other creatures did. To Sasuke's shock they seemed to glide, never really touching the ground. They always watched everyone as if they were a boring amusement. They spoke in calm collected tones when spoken to, but they didn't seek out converstation, not even within their own group. He had yet to meet an Elf that was disrespectful just for the hell of it. They were also beautiful creatures, but Sasuke knew how deadly they could be. Seeing them training was stunning, it pushed him to practice himself in hopes that he might even be half as good as they. And though he felt no ill will toward them, they still frightened and spooked the majority of the camp for unknown reasons.

Next to the Elves were the Mages. They were everything Sasuke knew they would be. Cocky, immature, and over all an overbarring annoyance. They believed that just because they had magic, that they were better then the rest. They were able to cast spells or traps faster then the Elves could use their bow. Each of their staffs were made of some old tree that they worshiped in the center of their lands. They said that tree's limbs were made from the gods themselves. Sasuke didn't know if it was true or not. He just knew he hated being near them as well. His mother used to tell them stories about the Dark Mages, Light Mages, and Earth Mages, though there was more, these three were the basic groups. Sasuke used to love hearing about them, until he aged some and began to look closer at her stories. Though none were said cruelly, Sasuke saw what his mother never said.

Behind him were the Werewolfs. They were a lively bunch. On the first night Sasuke arrived with his brother and cousin, the wolves were already creating disturbances throughout the camp. They seemed to trive on creating trouble. They were mostly in human form, but once a week, they took on their beast form and ran through the trees around them, howling as they hunted, sending chills down Sasuke's back. Sasuke knew there were five other Were groups of different animals, but those five were in other camps that Jiraiya saw to, away from them. They were fun to speak to, but Sasuke quickly learned that everything they said would have a double meaning. He had yet to talk to a Were that didn't mean something else but what was spoken.

Across from Sasuke were the Shifters. Sasuke had assumed that because both the Weres and Shifters took on the forms of animals that they would get along famously. Instead they despised eachother. The Weres said Shifters were creatures with no real body of their own. Instead they stole what they saw. Shifters said that Weres were jealous because they could only take one shape, while shifters could take on any animal form they wanted. His cousin Obito, being the bravest human of their group, had asked if they could take human forms to. One of the shifters said 'why waste a gift on pathetic shape?'. Sasuke still didn't know if one day he'll wake up and see his double. He found the Shifters uneasy too, for unknown reasons.

And last, kneeling next to the Shifters were the Dwarves. One of the wolves thinking them something fun to play with, quickly changed her mind when one of the Dwarves took the tip of her tail off. The Dwarves perfered to keep to themselves, but put a little ale in their bellies and they were a very humorous sight to see. Otherwise they all seemed to glare and stare down anything that was stupid enough to be jolly as they ready themselves for battle, that had yet to come.

"-and so I, on the behalf of our angel, Tsunade, thank you for your pledge and aid against the demon of hell. Come my brothers, my sisters and raise your voice with me. Let us show the demon that we are not to be messed with. Let us show him we do not fear him. Let us show him we will win this battle!" Jiraiya yelled, breaking Sasuke from his thoughts.  
As one everyone in the camp exploded into cheers and howls, their voices seemed to banish all of the fear anyone held in their hearts.

"Come on Sasuke, lets go get a dwarf drunk." Obito grinned pulling on his arm as he tossed another around Itachi. Sasuke looked toward his brother, amusment showing in both of their eyes as they let their hyper cousin drag them away.


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"Sasuke," Itachi called to him, "it's our turn to take watch."

Patrol, Sasuke sighed, was boring. It was just a group of two people from each race that walked around the camp, each waiting for an attack that had yet to happen. Every hour there were ten groups sent out or coming back, every creature needed incase they found an enemy that one could not defeat but another could.

Three months. Three months of nothing but walking and waiting. Would it ever end?

"Are you wishing for something to happen again?" Itachi asked, amused as he waited for his brother to catch up.

"Hn."

"This is good," Itachi gestured to the world with his hands. "No one will die today? Is that not something worth celebrating?"

"But they will die another day." an elf with blond hair remarked with an empty voice, his eyes watching them with bordom.

"Of course," Itachi replied pulling Sasuke away from the elf, trying to hide his unease around the Elf. "We should get started then."

"Yes." The the elf nodded, bowing his head slightly at them, before he turned away and gracefully made his way to another elf with red hair.

"I thought they didn't seek out conversation?" Sasuke whispered to his brother as they entered the trees.

"They don't." Itachi whispered back, "Why he did, I don't know."

Both Uchiha's ignored the watchful gaze of the two Elves, the looks on their face impossible to read. Moving around branches and boulders, the brothers constantly were on the lookout for any signs of the demon's army, making sure to put farther distance between the Elves and themselves.

"Do you hear that?" Itachi asked moving away from their group.

"Itachi?" Sasuke called looking back the way their group had went before they disappeared into the trees. With a frown he followed his brother. "Itachi?"

"Over here!" Itachy yelled.

"Where- is that a waterfall?"

It was beautiful. It was at least forty feet high and as clear as the sky above. Trees grew from both sides of the beautiful water as did bushes of roses. The pool of water was surrounded by soft grass and more flowers. "Wow."

"I know." Itachi grinned. "It's beautiful... I did not think anything like this still existed."

Walking closer to the pool, Sasuke stopped as the water touched his boots. "This is amazing."

"It makes me want to jump in and never come out. It sounds so soothing and relaxing. This had to have been made by an angel."

Nodding, Sasuke walked along the edge of the water and around the boulder. When a blue butterfly flew in front of his face, he followed it with his eyes. "Ah!" he yelled as he tripped and barely cought himself.

"Sasuke!"

"I'm okay." he groaned sitting up. "I tripped over a-"

"Over a what-" Itachi skidded to a stop as he saw his brother backpeddling from a corpse. A corpse with blonde hair and pale skin that seemed to have been tan at some point. The guy looked to at least be the same age as Sasuke.

"Where did he come from?" Sasuke asked moving around the body as he ran to his brother's side. Pulling his blade from the strap on his back, he searched for a demon. Itachi doing the same thing, moved with soft slow steps as he looked into the trees.

"There's no wounds on him." Sasuke said bringing his gaze back to the blonde. "It looks as if he fell asleep."

"And never woke up." Itachi finished as he knelt beside the body. "Look at that. It's beautiful."

"A blue crystal? These are very rare to have." Sasuke said reaching out to touch the shiny crystal. Crystals were rarer then gold and diamonds. Of course merchants sold the look-a-likes in their stands, some even tried to make their own crystals, but everyone knew they were fake. This crystal didn't look fake, it was a pureform, as Sasuke remembered reading in one of his Father's books, made of one solid color. The form it was cut into was beautiful, a long strand with multipule sides. It would look beautiful in direct sunlight, Sasuke thought.

"Stop!" Itachi growled catching his hand with his own. "You can't steal from him!"

"I am not stealing," Sasuke glared jerking his hand free. "He doesn't need it anymore."

"Sasuke."

"Itachi." Sasuke said back. He didn't know why he wanted the crystal. He just knew he had to have it. He craved it like a fish craved water.

"Why do you need it?"

"Because."

"Because?"

Sasuke looked down at the shiny crystal. "It calls to me." He whispered, and before Itachi could stop him, he grasped it in his hand and pulled it free. The chain gave away too easily, almost as if it was resting on the blond and not connected.

"Sasuke!"

"It's mine. I will not give it back." Sasuke glared as he put it around his own neck. "It's mine."

"Sasuke!" Itachi frowned at his brother. He didn't sound like his younger brother. What was that crystal doing to him? "Sasuke, take it off, something is wrong."

"No." Sasuke glared before he took off running.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke ran with his brother right behind him. He would never give it back. Not now, not ever.

As Sasuke disappeared back into the trees, Itachi picked up his pace as he searched for Sasuke. He wanted to call out to him, but he couldn't. If he did, the others would know that Sasuke was mad, crazed. When a branch snapped, Itachi took off again. Pushing and pulling his way through anything that tried to stop him.

Finally he found Sasuke on his knees, craddling the crystal close to his chest. What shocked Itachi was the warrior standing above him.

"My lord." Itachi bowed quickly.

"Itachi." Jiraiya nodded for him to rise, having known every name of every creature in his camp.

"I am sorry for my brother. He is not himself-"

"I know. Tell me where you found the crystal." Jiraiya demanded, watching Sasuke as he hummed an odd lullaby.

"By the waterfall. We separated from our group and stumbled upon the waterfall. Sasuke walked off and he found a corpse."

"Corpse?" Jiraiya asked sharply. "Show me." grabbing Sasuke by the arm he pulled him to his knees and nodded for Itachi to lead the way.

Sometime later, Itachi took Jiraiya back to the fall. "I'm sorry it took so long, I did not pay attention when I was chasing Sasuke." he apologized.

"Not to worry. I understand." Jiraiya said. "Where did you find him?"

"Over there." Itachi pointed as Jiraiya released his brother and made his way beyond the bolder. A few minutes later he returned.

"There is nothing here." the warrior frowned.

"What!"

"He's gone."

"No... he was there." Itachi frowned running around and spotted nothing. Where did the boy go? "My lord, he was here. I saw him. He was right here-"

"Calm youself, Itachi. I was expecting this." Jiraiya said.

"What? I don't understand."

"Get your brother and follow me. It seems the Dragon is wishing to return." Jiraiya replied before walking off.

A few moments later Itachi grabbed his murmuring brother and followed Jiraiya. What was the dragon he spoke of?


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Itachi stood side by side with Sasuke as they followed the warrior away from the camp. It was odd that they would go so far instead of toward the people that were on their side. Jiraiya, when asked, simply said 'This is best'.

Beside him Sasuke craddled his crystal as if it were a small child, humming that same haunting lullaby with the same calming expression. His eyes, only half opened, were glazed over as if he had taken a drug made by the Mages. His smile was small but full of wonder as if whatever that crystal did to him was the most natural and beautiful thing alive.

With a worried frown, he placed his hand on Sasuke's arm to pull him along when the younger raven stopped.

"We are here." Jiraiya said breaking the silence and calling a halt to their group of three.

"Where are we?" Itachi asked looking around. This place looked like any other in the forset of trees. What was so important about this place that they traveled all the way here for?

"Safe." Jiraiya answered and held up his hand when Itachi wished to ask another question. Falling to his knees the giant man bowed his head and chanted a few words unknown to the human, or any creature for that matter, tongue.

When the trees began to move and the branches formed a frame, Itachi gasped and took a step back from Jiraiya, pulling his brother with him. The branches twined and grew as they formed. The only noise around was the branches as they rubbed against one another until finally it went still. Before Itachi could ask what was going on, a glow illuminated from within the frame shining gently over their faces.

"_You've summoned me, Jiraiya_?" a woman's voice floated through the pale purple light.

"Yes Tsuande."

At her name Itachi dropped to his knees and bowed his head, dragging Sasuke to do the same. Never in his life did he think he'd ever meet the angel that they were fighting for. She was a myth that none but the warrior would ever meet, to be chosen to meet her, it was mindboggling.

"_What have you brought with you_? _Who are these boys that come_?"

"They are of grave importance." Jiraiya answered. "One has found the Dragon Crystal."

"_So it is time._" Tsunade whispered in shock. "_The Dragon wishes to return again_. _I have waited for many long years for this to come_."

"Soon the Other will follow." Jiraiya answered as his eyes glowed with excitement. "If we gain them first then we will end this war."

"_Come boy_." Tsuande called.

At Jiraiya's nod Itachi stood and moved closer to the frame of branches. "My lady?"

"_Do you know the Legend of the Dragon_?"

"Nay, My Lady." Itachi shook his head, "What is this dragon you speak of? What does my brother have to do with this?"

"_Let me tell you a story_." Tsuande's voice seemed to change and caress his body in a comforting way. "_Long ago, before all wars started, there once lived dragons. They were the most beautiful creaturest to ever walk the world or fly within the sky. There were many dragons all over the world. They were here before what you know ever came. But there was one that was the most powerful of all. He was not a king nor a warrior. He was just a dragon that came and went whenever he pleased. One day the Dragon did not come back. Centuries went by as the other dragons searched for him but still he stayed hidden. Slowly the dragons began to fade away, and before anyone knew, they were gone. The world began to change and shift. Forming what you see today_."

When Tsunade went quiet Jiraiya took over, "The day the Dragon disappeared, a war broke out. Without the Dragon's presence to calm us all, we were doomed. Demons were breaking free of prisons and angels were falling from the sky in agony. No one knew then why the Dragon was gone. Angels went out of their way to find the creature that could end it all. Then one day two boys, unknown to any, saved us. Twins, one with red hair and blue eyes and the other with blonde hair and blue eyes, and scars upon his face." Itachi gasped as the corpse came to his mind. "The blonde one went by the name of Naruto, the red, by the name of Kyuubi. It was Naruto that found the Dragon Crystal, unknown to him and his brother, he knew little of what is was. He would have dreams of a life he never lived. He believed himself going mad because of visions he would witness. One day he disappeared from his village with his brother and went on a journey to find the reason behind it all. After many years, they found the Other. It was Kyuubi this time that picked up the Other's crystal. Once both Crystals were united, the Dragon came forth and along with it so did the reason it disappeared. The war ended with the Dragon on our side and everything was calm again for so long that no one remembered what war was. Then one day Naruto and Kyuubi disappeared and were never seen again bringing back the war that we have been fighting for millions of years and still to this day fight."

"What is this Other you speak of? Is it another Dragon and what does it have to do with my brother?" Itachi asked feeling confused.

"The Other is unknown to us. It is before our time. We tried to find any traces of it in history but it remains a mystery. Your brother found the Dragon crystal making him the next summoner to bring back the Dragon." Jiraiya looked into Itachi's eyes. "I believe since you also saw Naruto's corpse, that you will be the one to find the Other."

"_Itachi, we shall help you in all that we can. For now I must go and inform the others of what is happening_." slowly the light faded away and the brances moved back to their original position.

"Come, let us go back to camp." Jiraiya nodded toward the right. "And Itachi, keep this to yourself. Do not let any know of the crystal your brother carries. If it falls into the wrong hands then the Demons would own it and try to use the Dragon for their own purpose."

"Of course, Warrior." Itachi nodded and went to his brother side. "Come Sasuke, let us hide away the crystal."

~I~C~T~F~

Colors shifted across his vision. Forming pictures only to take them away just as quickly as they came. So many scents tickled his nose and so many sounds played with his ears. It was like everything was in his grasp. As if he could reach out and touch it all with his fingertips.

Slowly a picture began to take shape, showing him a boy of his age watching him. His blonde hair moving in the breezless air and his blue eyes watching him without blinking.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked, frowning and looking around as his voice echoed in the flashing colors and quick moving pictures. "Where am I?"

"_**I am the past and you the future**_." The blonde said, his mouth never moving and his expression still unreadable. "_**You are where you were meant to be**_."

"Where is that?"

"_**Here. There. Everywhere. Find him and all will be safe. Find him and he will be your Champion. Find him and everything will be at peace. Fail and we die. Fail and what I've done is for naught. Fail and we lose what we cherish most**_."

"What are you saying?" Sasuke yelled as the sound of thunder played in the background, coming closer. "Answer me!" He screamed as the wind picked up around him, completely going around the blonde male watching him.

"_**Without him we are weak. Even now we feel his power running through our blood. Even now we hear his creatures in our ears. Even now we are almost one**_."

"I don't understand!" Sasuke screamed running his hands over his face to be rid of the raindrops.

"_**Go**_." and just like that the boy was gone leaving Sasuke alone as he faught the rain pouring over him and the wind threatening to take him away from it all.

~I~C~T~F~

With a gasp of fear, Sasuke's eyes flashed open and looked around frantically for the blonde male. Sitting up, he found himself in his tent with his brother asleep right beside him and sweat falling down his own face. In the background, he heard whispers of others in the camp talking and laughing quietly. Moving to lay back down, Sasuke automatically closed his hands around the crystal hanging from his neck in a makeshift pouch. With a sigh he closed his eyes once more and fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

Yawning tiredly, Sasuke walked out of his tent and stretched. Hearing his back pop in two different places, he looks around for his brother and his cousin. Where are they?

Taking two steps from his tent, Sasuke realized that he was the center of certain eyes. The Weres eyes. Every one of them watched him with an unblinking stare. Each of them were frozen in place in different poses as if they were doing something before Sasuke appeared.

Feeling his heart pick up speed, Sasuke quickened his step as he tried to find Itachi. The whole time the Weres were watching him with their eerie eyes.

Why? With his heart in his throat he threw pride to the wind and ran. His eyes scanning the crowd for his brother. Itachi, where are you?

"Omph." he cried out as he fell to the ground. With a groan he sat up and turned angry eyes on the one that got in his way. "Watch where you're go-ing." He finished quietly when he saw an Elf looking down at him with an unreadable face.

"Disgusting creature." the red headed Elf finally said as he turned away.

"No more disgusting then yourself." Sasuke stood quickly and glared at the Elf's back, more angry then stunned at the Elf's words. This Elf was the first to be disrespectful to him.

The second he said those words the Elf froze and slowly turned startled green eyes to meet Sasuke's own dark ones.

"What did you say?" The Elf asked.

"Why should I repeat myself to a fool such as yourself." Sasuke glared not feeling an ounce of fear.

"How are you speaking to me?" The Elf asked, confused.

"By using words, idiot." Sasuke insulted the Elf that only continued to stare in shock. All around him he felt people watching them but he didn't care. He was taking a stand now. He was going to prove that humans weren't the cowards the others believed them to be. That humans were strong, or stronger then them.

"That's impossible."  
"Are you stupid or just slow?"

The Elf's face harden at that. When his eyes turned silver and started to glow, Sasuke knew he should back down, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to turn away from this. He set his path and now he was following it through.

"Insult me once more and you will die. I care not that you speak my words or how you know them, but know that you will die if-"

"Run along pointed ears." Someone broke in. "Get, no one wants to see your freakish powers that defy all logic."

Turning Sasuke saw that it was a Were in human form coming to his aid with the rest of them watching the Elf with hardening eyes.

When the Elf continued to glare at Sasuke and other Elves came to it's aid, the Weres began to growl in warning.

"This is only the beginning human." The Elf spat as if it were a curse to be a human.

"As if I'm afraid of you."

"Your pets can't always protect you." the Elf whispered before turning and stalking off, still looking as graceful as the wind.

When he disappeared into a crowd of his own species, Sasuke let the breath he was holding go.

"You should not anger an Elf. They are cold creatures that hold on to grudges longer then they hold on to lovers." the Were said. "How did you piss off an elf? They are impossible to piss off? They hold grudes, yes, but it takes a bit to create a grude within them."

"He doesn't scare me." Sasuke said turning to the Were, unsure how he did piss an elf off. "Thank you though."

The Were nodded, "Tell me how a human knows an Elf's tongue?"

"Excuse me?" Sasuke blinked in surprise. "Elf?"

"You were speaking it. No one but an Elf can speak Elf. Weres can understand it but we could never repeat them. Or tongues were not made for such a pure language." The Were said watching him.

"I don't speak Elf." Sasuke was beginning to think that his camp was going crazy. First he faces off with an Elf and now a Were is telling him he speaks it.

"You were speaking it just fine seconds ago. If I wouldn't have known you were human, I would have assumed you another Elf."

"I don't even know Elf!" Sasuke said feeling annoyed.

"Then how did you speak to him?"

"He spoke english."

"No," the were shook his head. "You spoke Elf. That particular Elf does not speak any other language but his own. He may know every language known to us but it's against their customs that their Prince speak anything but Elf."

"Prince? Please tell me I didn't just piss of the leader of the Elves?" Sasuke whispered in horror.

"That you did my friend, that you did. That Elf is a Prince and has been a Prince for over seven centuries. That is the Bloody Elf known as Gaara." The Were grinned. "I'm Kimimaro by the way. I lead the pack of Werewolves. I'm one of Five Alphas of the animal clans." Sasuke knew of the animal clans. Wolves, Lions, Birds, Snakes, and surprizingly Hyenas. The other five were spread out in other camps that Sasuke doubted he'd ever meet up with them.

"Sasuke, I'm Sasuke." Crap he just pissed off the Prince of the Elves. The one Elf that lived up to his nickname. Could his day get any worse? The one Elf that mothers around the world would use to keep naughty children in line. Sasuke remembered his own mother telling him that if he didn't behave, the Bloody Elf would know.

"So are you agreeing that you spoke Elf?" Kimimaro asked.

"I don't speak ELF!" Sasuke yelled angrily. "I only speak one language and that's it!"

Kimimaro grinned at Sasuke's outburst. "What would it take for you to believe me?"

"Nothing because I don't speak it."

"Can you understand me?" Kimimaro asked suddenly.

"Of course I can." Sasuke snapped.

"Funny because no one but a Were could have understood those four words I spoke in my own tongue. So you must have the gift of tongues." Kimimaro frowned. "But the last one to get the gift was the Carrier..." at this his eyes went wide and he moved closer than Sasuke wanted him to be.

"Stop sniffing me!" Sasuke demanded, but Kimimaro just ignored him and continued on with what he was doing. "STOP!" Sasuke growled and just like that, Kimimaro backed off quickly as he watched Sasuke with disbelief. The other Weres all had the same expression as they watched him.

"It's him."

"He's the one."

"He's returned."

"Alpha of Alphas."

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke asked them feeling more confused then ever. Why wasn't anything making sense?

"Alpha of Alphas." They chanted as they fell to their knees and bowed their heads.

"Sasuke?" At the sound of his brother's voice, Sasuke turned and met Itachi's suprised look. Next to Itachi was none other then the warrior.

"I don't know what they're doing. They just...and... this!" he shouted pointing at the Weres still chanting their stupid phrase.

"They are showing you respect." Jiraiya answered, moving through the crowd of Weres. All around, the other species were watching Sasuke with blank expressions. He had a feeling that they were all hiding something from him. "I did not think it would happen this quickly, but the Weres prove otherwise."

"What? Please no more riddles. Just answer me. What's going on?"

"You, my boy, are one of two of the missing pieces that we need to finish this war." Jiraiya said looking over the crowd of Weres. "They know it and soon the others will know too. I had hoped to keep it quiet a bit longer, but that does not seem like it will happen."

"What?"

"You, Sasuke are the most important person in this camp right now. You are the Summoner of the Dragon."

"What?"

~I~C~T~F~

Sasuke sat with Itachi in Jiraiya's giant tent. Beside him, in wolf form, was Kimimaro. The white wolf had yet to leave Sasuke's side since the morning fiasco. Even the other wolves had followed him throughout the camp and now sat around the tent in their own animal forms.

"So..." Sasuke said breaking the silence and causing the giant man to blink. "Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"You are the Summoner." Jiraiya answered. "You are the one that's going to bring back the Dragon."  
"What Dragon?"

_'The Dragon that will bring peace_.' Kimimaro answered in his head. It was odd to hear another voice where it didn't belong.

"So how did I become the Summoner?"

"Because you have the first crystal." Itachi answered and then with Jiraiya's permission went on to tell Sasuke the Legend of the Dragon and the Other.

"So you have to find the Other?" Sasuke asked.  
"With your help, yes. The angel and the warrior believe that because I saw Naruto, that I'm the one to find Kyuubi."

"Okay... how does this explain my new lapdog?" Sasuke asked deciding to ask a question that might make better sense.

When the sound of laughter echoed in his head, he glared at Kimimaro and lifted his brow.

"The Alpha of Alphas." Jiraiya answered. "They follow you because only you can bring back the Great Black Beast."

"The what?"

'_It is a creature that comes when the Carrier calls for it. It takes the form of the Carriers inner animal and fights beside him. The Great Black Beast, is the Dragon's pet and is the strongest among us. Only one can control him and that is the Carrier_.'

"The Carrier is also the Summoner, right? And both of which are me?"

'_Yes. You are also the Alpha of Alpha's because the Great Black Beast is our creator. Without him, Weres would not exist. He is the ultimate King and he'll be yours.'_

"When the Dragon comes, he'll also be yours and fight beside you along side the Great Black Beast, and when the war ends, he will roam again with his pet as he keeps peace among us all." Jiraiya finished.

"The only draw back is we die." Itachi whispered. "When the Dragon and the Other come and end the war, they take our lives to live and we go to a resting place to live forever in our own heaven."

"We die?" Sasuke froze at this. "What!"

'_You would have died in the war_.' Kimimaro pointed out.

"But that's different."

_'Not really_.'

"So what are we supposed to do now?" Itachi asked when Sasuke looked ready to faint.

"Tsuande is still speaking with the others of her kind, trying to find us an answer. For now Kimimaro will be your guardian and he will choose another to protect you Itachi."

_'That will be problem_.' Kimimaro said. '_The Weres are easily bored and unless Itachi does something exciting every second, they will find him a bore and tear into his flesh for fun.'_

"They've been sitting outside for hours!" Sasuke shouted in annoyance.

'_Because you are the Alpha of Alphas and they would do anything to keep you safe. It is a great honor to protect you. Your brother on the other hand is human_.'

"I understand." Itachi nodded at Kimimaro's honesty.

"Then I will choose someone to protect you." Jiraiya said standing. "Sasuke if you could take the Weres hunting, I will find Itachi a guardian."

"Hunting?"

'You are the Alpha-'

"I get it!" Sasuke glared at Kimimaro. "Why do I have to go hunting?"

"The Alpha always leads the pack and the Alpha always takes the first bite. Weres need to hunt to eat, and to release energy or else they raise hell." Itachi answered with a small grin. "Try not to tire yourself out."

With a glare at his brother Sasuke stalked out of the tent with a laughing Kimimaro. Ignoring the other species, he headed into the woods and shivered as the Weres howled or made some type of noise in happiness.


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

"Itachi," Jiraiya called out over the crowd. At his name, Itachi turned away from Obito and made his way to the giant man. Unsure of what was wanted of him, and not liking the looks he was getting from his fellow humans, Itachi walked around and through the crowd to follow Jiraiya away from the camp.

When they were a small distance away and made no move to stop, Itachi frownd. "Warrior? Where are we going?"

"To meet up with your guardian." Jiraiya answered.

"Could he not have come to the camp?"

"No, not while the sun is up. When it goes down, he'll be able to protect you."

"What of the day then? Who will protect me then?" not that he needed to be protected. Itachi thought he was fairly good in combat. He had never been in a battle as of yet, but during training sessions he was by far the best of the humans.

"Your other guardian." Jiraiya answered.

"But you only said one."

"They come as a package deal. One will follow you at night and the other will be with you at all times."

"If the other will be with me all the time, why must I have two?"

"Together they are better equipt to protect you." Jiraiya grinned. "Here we are."

A cave? Itachi's guardian was in a cave? Who guarding him would need to be hidden during the day? Deciding he'd get his answers once he went in, Itachi followed Jiraiya passed the light barrior, created by the sun, and entered the quickly darkening cave.

"This is him?" he heard someone call out.  
"Yes, Itachi come here."

"A human? Why must they be human? They are always human. Humans are weak compared to the others."

"Speaking as you do, will you protect me or try to kill me?" Itachi asked the man surrounded by shadows. The only one he could see was Jiraiya. The other two hid within the shadows, hiding themselves, or so he assumed were two, he had only heard one voice.

"He does not fear you." the second voice said, sounding as if they were trying not to laugh. "How amusing."

"Humans are morons." the first man grumbled as he moved away from the wall. His body slowly coming into the light casted off from Jiraiya's own body. "I'm Hidan."

A Vampire. A vampire was going to protect him. Vampires followed the demon. Itachi must have tensed or made some form of noise because the other one quickly spoke and came into view.

"He is not like the other Vampires. Hidan is...very picky on who he follows, but though he isn't like other Vampires, he will still kill whoever attacks him first." bowing his head, the second Vampire said, "I am Haku."

"What are you?" Itachi frowned. Haku didn't look like a Vampire, but he didn't look human either. He was too beautiful, to graceful to be human. But he wasn't as pale, as dangerous looking or feeling as Hidan either.

"I am what happens when a Vampire mates a human. I'm a Dhampire. The only one that I know of that exist in this world."

"He's special." Hidan smirked, walking toward Itachi. When Itachi took a few steps back, the silver haired Vampire grinned, his fangs barely showing passed his lips. "Are you afraid?"

"Yes." Itachi said moving closer to Jiraiya.

"You should be."

"Hidan, it is day now. If you don't stop, I'll toss you in the sun myself." Haku sighed, squeezing the bridge of his nose, reminding Itachi more of a human then a Vampire, "Great, I've been your companion for far too long if I am beginning to sound like you."

"That is what you get for leaving your family." Hidan remarked, still looking at Itachi.

"My brother was all that I had left, and he was already on his death bed. Zabuza told me to follow you when you passed through our village and I did."

"Your brother was an idiot then."

"My brother was a king." Haku hissed, his fangs shining as they grew longer. Even though they were thinner then Hidan's, and slighlty memorizing, Itachi was somewhat afraid of what Haku would do if he ever decided to turn against him or use him as his next meal. Hell, Hidan was a pure Vampire and would probably kill him if he ever got hungry. "He ruled a nation for over sixty years!"

"Yes and you were side by side with him, never looking a day over sixteen, thru each one." Hidan countered boredly. "Even now, five centuries later, you barely look like you gained two years."

"Enough, barter amonst yourselves later. Right now Haku is needed to protect Itachi." Jiraiya sighed. Turning to Itachi he said. "Haku can stand the daylight. He can walk side by side with you. He has all the powers of any Vampire alive, or dead as they are, the only draw back is that he's not as strong as a Vampire."

"He's like a baby compared to us." Hidan smirked. "He can't hold his own against one of our kind, which is fine because he shouldn't meet one of our kind while the sun is up."

"Not to worry though, I will be able to protect you from any other creature that try to do you harm." Haku reasurred him.

"Good, now that we've met, Haku feed me before you go on duty. Your blood is stronger then a human and I doubt I'm supposed to feed on this one."

"Or any in the camps." Jiraiya reminded Hidan.

"I was getting there." Hidan rolled his gaze as he held out his hand toward Haku.

"Come Itachi, let's let Hidan feed for the day. Haku will join us outside."

Nodding, Itachi followed the warrior to the entrance of the cave. "Warrior, why did you choose them?"

"Because Hidan needs a purpose before he goes as mad as the other Vampires." Jiraiya answered. "And Haku will keep him on track. They will be your guardians Itachi. From now on they will walk beside you."  
"Does the one that finds the Other not have a pack of wolves at his beck and call?" Itachi asked jokingly.  
"No one knows what comes with the Other. The Other has never been seen by any but the one that finds it and the Dragon. It hides from all of us. Some question if it even exist."

"Does it?"

"It must for Kyuubi gave his life for it to come to us." Jiraiya said. "I was not around when they existed, him and Naruto. What I know is what I've heard. Angels do not lie. Any lie that passes through their lips equals death. Here comes Haku. I must see to the other camps, I shall return by mid morning" nodding his good-bye, Jiraiya walked off, fading with each step, leaving Itachi with the raven haired Dhampire.

"Come along, I shall follow you." Haku motioned forward, two puncture points on his wrist.

"Haku?" Itachi said as he lead the way back to camp.

"Yes?"

"If I may ask, what do you feed on? Hidan feeds from you, so what do you eat?"

"I eat what I catch." Haku grinned. "Not to worry, I, nor Hidan, will ever take a nip out of you unless you wish. A Vampires bite is very pleasuring."

"What of your bite?"

"It's painful." Haku laughed. "Hidan compares it to acid in the blood."

"You drink from him?"

"Once by accident. I was starving and he was there. So I bit him because he had drunk my blood moments before. I thought I'd gain it back and be okay. It was not a good idea. His blood, though mixed with mine, tasted like death." Haku said with a grin still on his face. "Now Itachi, do as you do and I shall be your shadow."

"The camp might try to attack you."

"Let them. I did not survive this long to be killed off so easily. I may be weaker then a true Vampire, but I am still stronger then what is in your camp." Haku answered.

"I will be honest, it is odd being protected by someone who looks younger then I."

"Perhaps others would think so too," Haku chuckled, "Maybe I can gain a free meal after all."

~I~C~T~F~

"Vampire."  
"Another one."

"Death will follow us now."

Each sentence Itachi heard was the same as the last. Haku had caused a stir when he had appeared. A Mage had even attacked him as she screamed for his blood. Haku had simply disappeared and reappeared behind her. Before she could turn, he took her staff away and looked it over. At the shocked look from the other Mages, he smirked and handed it back to her. Without another word, he had disappeared and once more reappeared beside Itachi.

Now Hidan was doing the same thing as he walked acrossed the silent camp.

"Itachi," Sasuke frowned as Kimimaro stood protectively in front of him.

"Don't worry, he's partially harmless." Haku reasurred him.

"Yes, I only go for idiots." Hidan answered boredly. "Now which one will be my first meal?"

"Touch our Carrier and die." Kimimaro growled.

"It's been a long time since I've last had an animal." Hidan licked his lips as his eyes went blood red. "I promise you will feel no pain."

"We are not to eat the camp." Haku reminded Hidan.  
"It's not the camp if it's just one of them. What about an Elf? What say you Bloody Elf? Wish to be my next meal? Let us remember our younger years as I feed."

"Touch our Prince and face death." a blonde Elf said in his place, the one that spoke to the Uchiha brothers before.

"You're right. His silver blood will taint my own. Best to stick to what I know, eh Deidara? I remember your blood. It stirred within my blood for ages" Hidan chuckled as he looked around the camp, gaining a flush from Deidara and a stunned look from Sasuke. "Now if any of you try to attack me, Haku, and now Itachi, you forefit your life to me. Do I make myself clear?" when everyone quickly turned their gaze away, Hidan smirked.

"THE GOBLINS ARE COMING!" someone screamed as they ran into the camp. "THE GOBLINS ARE COMING!"

"I've never tried Goblin before." Hidan said thoughtfully.


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story.**

With a blow of a horn, everyone went scrambling, moving quickly to gather their weapons as they stumbled over eachother in excitement and fear. The only ones that seemed calm about this were the Elves and Fay. The Pixies were flying about with bell like chatter and the Dwarves were already making bets on who would take out more. The shifters said nothing as they took to the sky as birds, and the Mages were all grinning, each wanting to show off their talents. With a flick of Kimimaro's wrist, the Weres howled and ran with grinning faces to join the fray. The Humans were the ones that looked clumsy and unsure but still they followed after everyone else.

"What are we waiting for, I need to-" Hidan started only to stop when Jiraiya appeared before them covered head to toe in golden armor. Flinching away from the holy object, Hidan moved to stand behind Haku, his eyes bleeding red tears. "Fucking bastard!"

"My apologies." Jiraiya said quickly. "But you will not be going to battle."

"What do you mean? My wolves are out there!" Kimimaro said, looking on the verge of shifting, but his instincts demanded he wait for Sasuke. "One Goblin is impossible to fight, let alone an army of them!"

"We must protect Sasuke and Itachi, they are the key to our future. If something happens to them, this battle and every one after will be lost to us." Jiraiya stated.

"My Weres need a leader!" Kimimaro said. "I can't let them fight without me."

"Then go and fight, puppy." someone said as they came toward them, arrows tied to his back as a bow rested in his hands. "I will protect the human that the Weres say is more important then their own pack."

"Your prince wants to kill me!" Sasuke said in shock as Deidara stopped before them, Sasori only a step behind him.

"As if I'd leave him in your care, pointed ears!" Kimimaro snapped.

"Enough!" Jiraiya snapped, his booming voice freezing them all. "With permission of each group, Sasuke and Itachi, you will travel with two less then a dozen guards. From the Elves, Prince Gaara has gifted us his best archer, Deidara, and his best fighter, Sasori. From the Pixies, you will have a Summer Pixie, Ino."

At her name, a small Pixie wearing purple flower petals as a dress, floated in front of Sasuke's face, smiling at him as she bowed before him, her little wings moving nonstop spreading her golden dust about. Moving to Itachi she graced him with the same treatment. With that out of the way, she moved to land on Sasuke's shoulders.

"I may be small, but I will do my best to keep you safe, young master." Ino said in her bell like voice, swaying with the light breeze.

"Thank you." Sasuke said, unsure of how the Pixie would aid them in their journey. When Haku looked at him in confusion, Sasuke explained what she said to him, realizng the only ones that could understand her was himself.

"Wonderful a pesky fly to annoy us endlessly." Hidan grumbled, earning a glare from Ino.

Clearing his throat, Jiraiya said, "From the Fay, you have Sai."

Once more another being moved forward. The Fay simply smiled emptily at them as he bowed his head mockingly, even then looking beyond beautiful with his moon like skin and his endless eyes. "I suppose you wish to be my master as well?" he asked in a way that told them that if they said yes, he'd be their worst enemy.

"No," Itachi shook his head. "We just require aid to find the Dragon and the Other, no more will be asked of you."

"Hmmm." the Fay said, stepping back, fixing his long blade into place at his side.

"The Mages have gifted you with their best Earth Mage, Neji." Jiraiya said as a mage with a white staff moved forward.  
"You should feel honored that my people have decided to allow me to travel with you." Neji said with a curl of his lip.

"Trust me we don't." Kimimaro growled. With all of these races coming together, some a threat to the Alpha of Alphas, he was needed here by Sasuke's side. He knew his Weres would understand.

"Watch it, rug," Neji glared, reminding Sasuke why he really didn't like the Mages. It was bad enough he was camped with some, now he'd have to travel with one as well. "Unlike other Mages, I not only excel in Earth Magic, but I also hold some Light Magic as well. With me, you will not really need the others."

"Be that as it may," Jiraiya said, the sounds of battle reaching his ears. "The Dwarves have sent you Choji."

"Just give me my axe and I show a mage a trick or too." Choji glowered at Neji who openly glared back.

"And the Shifters have given you Kiba." Jiriaya finished as the Shifter simply smirked at Kimimaro.

"May lightning knock me down for working side by side with a Were." Kiba said.

"Is that your real face, thief, or just another copy?" Kimimaro shot back.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"What of our cousin?" Itachi asked when he didn't see Obito anywhere.

"Your cousin will stay here, now I must go and aid in the battle." Jiraiya said as a rolled up map appeared in his hands. Handing it to Itachi he said, "Follow the path outlined, Tsuande told me it was one that all the angels believe Naruto and Kyuubi took before, that only you two can travel, hopefully your gurads can follow you as well. If you retrace their footsteps, you will find what they found so long ago. Luck be with you all." with that Jiraiya flashed out, making Hidan curse again and flinch away. Even Haku had to turn quickly this time, but otherwise seemed unaffected.

"This is going to be fun," Hidan said, bringing all of their attention to him, blood tears now dried on his face, making him more dominating and frightening then any of the others there. Especially with the grin he wore. Sasuke was only glad that Itachi had him as a main bodyguard and not him. "Shifter, Were, Pixie, Fay, Elves, Humans, Mage, Dwarf, Vampire, and Dhampire working side by side."

~I~C~T~F~

Sasuke moved to sit beside his brother, Haku, and Hidan. The darkness of the cave hiding the Vampire from the rays of the sun. On his shoulder, Ino only giggled as she watched Kimimaro snarl at Kiba, the Shifter having decided to mock the Were by taking the shape of a wolf. Since the start of the journey, three nights ago, no one could seem to get along, let alone those two.

Sai had yet to say a word, simply following them as he moved with the elegence that was impossible to use in the wooden area around them. It was like Sai was moving through a kingdom instead of the outdoors and still Sasuke found him annoying. Especially the way he sat on the only boulder within the cave as if it were a throne.

Neji was getting on everyones nerves, talking about the Mages as if they were gods and Choji took it upon himself to belittle the Mage as much as possible.

Deidara and Sasori had yet to express what they were feeling, their faces were completely neutral as they watched the group from a small distance at the entrance of the cave, but Sasuke caught the ill nature boiling between them and Sai. It seemed the Elves could show something other then boredom, and Sai was enjoying their distraction as he spoke to them, each word berating the two Elves as he complimented them.

"Why did I decide to be good?" Hidan said out loud in frustration as Kimimaro's growls only grew louder and Neji continued to try and praise his own race. "Enough!" he snapped stopping everyone mid-word. "I have had enough of all of you! My fangs ache just to feed on one of you, and the choice is becoming clearer on who would die first."

"You cannot touch us, fanged one." Neji glared haugtily at him, looking down at Hidan even as he sat on the ground, Sasuke was surprised he pulled it off.

"Who will stop me?" Hidan smirked. "A Mage can't move faster then a Vampire. Haku showed you this. A Were and Shifter are just as slow. Elves are weak compared to the darkness in my soul. The Pixie does nothing but make me sneeze. The Dwarve will be quick to kill. And the Fay, he is as useless as the damn Pixie!"

At his words both Ino and Sai glared angrily at Hidan. Sai's hand even going so far as to reach for his blade.

"You don't wish to attack an enraged Vampire." Haku said, standing beside Sai, his hand gripping Sai's own. "Especially one as old as Hidan, nor as hungry as he is. I may feed on the blood of animals, but he does not."

"Let go." Sai demanded trying to break Haku's hold, but the Dhampire was too strong, holding him as if he were a child.

"I am not as weak as you. I may only be half, but that is enough to make me stronger then any of you, minus my Master." Haku said, his eyes going red. "My Master has words to speak, you best listen."

"And if we don't?" Neji demanded.

"Then you will die and we will continue on without you." Hidan whispered into Neji's ear from behind, his fingernails turning to sharpen claws as they gripped the Mage's neck. Inhaling, Hidan's eyes turned bloody red, Neji's scent adding to his bloodlust.

"Hidan." Itachi called out, feeling fear spread throughout the cave. Everyone watched Hidan, each refusing to even breathe.

"He's hungry." Haku said, moving away from Sai, cutting his wrist in the process. Like an animal on a hunt, Hidan turned quickly to the forming blood, and just as quickly he was before Haku, drinking his blood as quickly as possible. "Rules will be set now." Haku went on, uncaring of the stunned gazes watching them. None of them had ever seen a Vampire feed, since most Vampires usually killed their prey.

"What rules?" Kiba asked through his wolf muzzle, his words coming out like a growl.

"Any who piss off a Vampire will suffer by said Vampire." Itachi said outloud as Hidan broke himself away from Haku, the Dhampire swaying slightly at the loss of blood. He knew Haku would go out to feed before the sun fell.

"Accepted." Hidan said. "Now shall someone else voice another?"

And just like that, each person there quickly said what they wanted, some of the rules were discarded and tossed away. Some were kept until finally they all had agreed on the basics.

Six days later, as they forced themselves to grudgingly get along, which was working out better then Sasuke thought possible, Neji said, "We are traveling too slowly. We are wasting time, hiding in caves." As one they all looked toward the entrance of the cave Neji created, to see the morning sun shining over the the meadow.

"Vampires don't travel in the day." Hidan said dryly, standing farthest from the entrance, Haku sitting beside him.

"We could always leave you behind," Neji tossed back, earning a chuckle in return from Hidan, one not exactly filled with amusement, but a promise of something dark.

"You could catch up with us." Haku said thoughtfully. "You are fast enough."

"And what's to say I'll get to you before another Vampire does?" Hidan asked.

"We can hold our own."

"Haku, if I can kill you all within a second, they can too."

"What if the Mage creates a way for you to travel beneath the earth?" Sasori voiced as he cleaned his blades with an oil cloth. "A chamber beneath the ground."

"That would take a lot of energy, to hold something like that all day would drain me quickly. I don't have energy potions to spare." Neji snapped.

"Which way are we to travel?" Kiba asked, stretching as he stood. Even though they were all on a truce, Kimimaro couldn't keep the glare from forming on his face. And the Shifter did nothing to switch forms, making Sasuke think Kiba was enjoying himself.

Looking at the map, Itachi held it up as Ino appeared above him, shaking her body as she shined down upon it. "Sasuke can you hold this end?"

Without replying, Sasuke grasped one side of the map to free one of Itachi's hands.

"Okay, we are here," Itachi pointed to a rock formation surrounded by trees. None of the others bothered to move. Each of them had been unable to see anything but a blank sheet. It stunned Sasuke that only he and Itachi could see what was on it. "which means we must head here. So we must head north for another three days until we reach the edge of a mountain."

"North bound it is." Kiba said and shifted. In the place of a wolf, a giant badger appeared. "I can't go bigger then this. Stand clear." he added as he turned toward the ground and with a few sniffs, he turned his claws to the ground and began to dig. Within seconds he had disappeared beneath the ground and the sound of digging quickly faded away.

"Wonderful." Neji sighed. "I'll go next. I can force the earth back some so that we can walk. I won't use as much energy since Kiba is already digging out the tunnel."

"I'll light the way!" Ino chimed as she flew into the tunnel after Neji, resting brightly on the annoyed Mage's shoulder.

"He's useful for something." Kimimaro said as Sai, Deidara, Sasori, and Choji followed suit.

"Which one?" Sasuke asked, going in next. "Neji or Kiba?"

"Both of them." Kimimaro chuckled.

"On that, Were, we agree." Haku acknowledged as Hidan fell into the hole last.

A few hours later, or so Sasuke assumed, Kimimaro stilled. Tilting his head, he looked around the cave, sniffing at the stiffling air.

"What is it?" Hidan asked him, bringing everyones attention to the wolf. Kiba was too far ahead to notice anything as he dug. In fact, Sasuke had yet to see the Shifter since he entered the cave. He had to have still been in there since the cave was still on going.

"Something is in here with us." Kimimaro said, looking toward the way they had came. "It's coming fast. It doesn't feel right... it feels alive but not. It sort of feels ...dead?" Kimimaro said feeling confused.

"Ghouls!" Deidara said suddenly.

"Some of a bitch, run!" Hidan shouted, pushing them forward.

"Why?" Sasuke asked.

"Ghouls still the souls of the living." Haku said.

"Hidan's dead he doesn't have a soul."

"Vampires are nothing compared to a Ghoul." Hidan snapped, pushing them again. "Mage bring the earth down behind me."

With a few words, Neji quickly casted a spell and created a cave in. "They're going through the earth!" he said, turning to run once more, Ino hanging tightly to his hair as everyone followed, her body blinking in and out with each step Neji took. "They're killing it!"

"Bring the earth down behind me! Don't stop." Hidan called out again

"But-"

"Do it!" With a nod, Neji stopped and allowed everyone to past. With his eyes shining slightly, he waved his staff and the earth fell again. With a grunt, he fond himself over Hidan's shoulder. "Widen the earth before us, close it after me!" Hidan ordered as they sped throug the earth. Without saying a word, Kimimaro shifted and pushed against both Itachi and Sasuke, making them fall onto his back. Deidara and Sasori each grabbed a hold of Choji's arms and lifted the dwarf with ease. Sai took to the front and Haku ran beside him. Each of them setting the fast pace and even then, the Ghouls were catching up.

"How do you defeat a Ghoul?!" Sasuke shouted into the air around them.

"Fire!" Haku shouted back.

"Why couldn't you be a Fire Mage?" Hidan cursed as the dirt fell above his head, raining down upon him and Neji.

Not bothering to respond, Neji continued to concentrate on the earth. Each step the Ghouls took after them, felt like a hit against him. The earth wanted to be saved, it was screaming for Neji to heal it and Neji wanted to so badly.

"I see light!" Sai shouted.

"Daylight." Haku gasped. How would Hidan get out of the tunnel? Ghouls weren't resticted by the sun, Hidan was. What was Kiba thinking?

"Keep going!" Hidan shouted when Haku slowed down. Why the hell did Kiba dig up? Did the Shifter wish to kill him?

When Kimimaro flew through the opening before him, Hidan knew he was going to burn like a bitch, but he rather be killed by the sun then by a Ghoul. Closing his eyes, he tossed Neji first, to keep the Mage from burning with him, and then he jumped up.

Not feeling the burning pain, he opened his eyes in stunned silence. Looking around he found Sai standing above him, his hand held up as sweat appeared on his brow. His eyes were pure black and his clothing seemed to leak into the air around him, creating an orb of darkness and shading Hidan from the burning rays.

A Dark Fay, Hidan gaped in shock. He had heard that most of them had perished a long time ago, driven to death by the Light Fay. To know that Sai was one of them, Hidan now held more respect for this Fay. Afterall, Vampires spent their lives searching for a creature that would let them walk within the sun, which was the reason the Light Fay killed them off. The blood of a Dark Fay would give a Vampire this gift. The blood of a Light Fay, would boil the Vampire from the inside out. None knew which was which, so none took chances unless they saw the Fay use their powers.

"The tunnel starts on the otherside of the river!" Sasuke shouted, deciding to think about Hidan's stunned silence later.

"Ghouls can't cross running water." Haku said as he forced his wide eyes away from Sai. He hoped Hidan wouldn't kill him. The Fay was needed in some way or another, else he wouldn't have been here, perhaps this was it.

"The Ghouls are almost here!" Neji said at the same time, looking pained. "I'm thickening the earth but they're fighting through!"

"They're tracking us." Sasuke said, repeating the words Kimimaro said into his head. He wasn't sure why Kimimaro couldn't talk to them all like he did when Jiraiya was around, voicing his thoughts in their heads, but Sasuke would worry about that later too. "How do we get across the river?"

"Hold tight." Haku said, grasping Choji around the waist and tossing him across the raging river. With a plop the Dwarf groaned and cursed Haku to his ancestors and back.

"Don't let go," Sasuke told Itachi as Kimimaro bunched his legs and sprang across. With a grunt, they barely made it on the otherside, falling off the Were in the process. "Ouch." Sasuke groaned as Deidara and Sasori landed beside him. Soon to follow was Haku, carrying Neji. Ino still clinging to Neji's hair tightly.

"You have one shot," Sai panted. "I can hold this over you, but you must jump now. I'll hold the darkness around you for as long as I can. Land in the hole."

"And let you be captured by Ghouls?" Hidan snorted as he stood. "Do you know what they'd do to you?"

"I have a fair idea." Sai nodded.

"Don't drop the orb." Hidan ordered as he grabbed Sai around the waist and sprang just as the first ghoul popped free of the earth. The Ghouls screeching voices following them as they moved along the river, none daring to cross it. With great accuracy, both landed in the hole, far enough that the sun wouldn't touch them.

"Please feel free to warn me." Sai glared at him.

"How long have you been a Dark Fay?" Hidan asked as the others joined them in the hole.

"My whole life, but since you know my peoples history as well as I, I must keep it a secret and train myself. My people believe I have no power. If they knew, they'd kill me." Sai admitted.

"You're the last Dark Fay?"

"I'm sure there are others like me as well." Sai nodded as he stood up and dusted himself off. "If you plan to kill me, do so now."

"I won't." Hidan said seriously as the others looked from one to the other. "You saved my life. You will gain no harm from me. On my grave, I vow it."

Sai gaped along with the Elves, Kimimaro, and Haku. "No Vampire would ever vow such a thing."

"No Vampire had ever been indebt to another either." Hidan shrugged as he turned, "Ino light the way once more."

"What did he mean by that?" Sasuke whispered to Kimimaro as everyone moved to follow Hidan.

"The grave of a Vampire is sacred." Kimimaro answered, shifting to his human form. "The grave is the place that they were buried before they came back to life as a Vampire. It holds their human soul within. If any should find the grave of a Vampire and open the coffin, they'd free the soul to the creator and the Vampire would be no more. Like their bodies, the sun burns it up."

"What do you mean?"

"Vampires were once humans. When they die, the humans believe they are dead for real, so they bury them. Three months later, the Vampire frees itself from it's soul and breaks free of the coffin. They leave their soul beneath the ground and never return. They can't return to it, making them soulless creatures."

"What if someone found it?"

"No one would unless they wish to dig up every grave or over every piece of earth." Kimimaro answered. "Vampires delete every sign of their gravesite. Back in the day, people were just buried randomly so it was easier to hide their graves. Now a days, people have plots for their dead and so its harder for them to hide. Hidan has told Sai he'd willing tell him his gravesite should he ask, meaning he just put his life into Sai's hands."

"But what about Earth Mages, or Vampire hunters? Wouldn't they find them?" Sasuke asked.

"Some Vampire hunters do, but none of the old ones. They don't even know where to begin to look. The most they can do is go through the graveyards, hoping to hit pay dirt. Earth Mages, won't find them because their souls fill like another piece of the earth to them. I bet there is a Vampire grave somewhere near by but Neji won't be able to sense it. The longer the soul of a Vampire is in the earth, the more impossible it is to find it." Kimimaro answered.

"Does Haku have a grave too?" Sasuke asked, surprised by this bit of news. His mother was right, new information would always appear daily like magic.

"No," Haku answered for himself, proving to them that everyone had been listening to Kimimaro. "I was born. My soul is still within me, making me weaker then a Vampire, but I have the gifts of them. My Father was human, my Mother a Vampire who decided to seduce him. My Father was stupid, a mere child of thirteen and he believed that my Mother would do no harm to him. He fell for her and by some magic I appeared. I was a disgrace to my Mother so she abandon us the day I came. My Father had no idea what to do with me so he kept me like a pet. I was meant to keep the kindom afraid. I was the threat he used on any that defied him, treated no better then his dog, given his enemies blood as a reward for my deeds. I had no control over my blood lust, so my victims died horrible deaths. My Father enjoyed hearing them scream when my venom poisoned their bodies."

"Why didn't you leave?" Choji asked as they walked on.

"Because I knew no better. I thought it was what I deserved. I was born a monster, and so this was my punishment for not being human, for craving their blood. It was through me that my Father's kingdom grew larger. When my brother was born fourty years later, I excepted no different from him. But unlike my Father, Zabuza didn't treat me as his animal. When he was eighteen, our Father passed away and he became King. To him I was his brother, no matter what others said, I was his brother. He was the one to name me. I wasn't 'the King's Puppet', 'monster', 'beast', 'demon' or 'the devil's spawn' anymore. I was Haku. For many years I was with my brother, learning to be human, wearing clothing that felt so foreign on my body, he gave me his blood in a cup, once every two days, to drink like a human would water. When he turned eighty-eighty, Hidan appeared and Zabuza sent me away, he knew his own heirs were waiting to possess me like an animal, waiting to give me orders. Not days later, he passed on and his own heir took the throne, and then a hundred years later, the kindom fell and was heard of no more." Haku said before blinking. "My apologies, you asked a question and I gave you my life history."

"It's okay." Sasuke said into the silence. "I suspect by the time we find the Dragon, everyone will know the past of everyone else."

"Of course." Haku answered softly as he moved to walk beside Hidan. Without a word, Hidan placed a hand on Haku's shoulder, squeezing once before releasing him, Haku smiling briefly at him.

"So long as Neji doesn't tell us of Mages, I wouldn't mind hearing history of another." Choji said, gaining a glare from Neji, the Mage moving the earth in front of them as he closed it behind them.

"I suppose the truce is broken?" Sasuke sighed in annoyance as Neji once more spoke highly of the Mages, telling Choji that Dwarves were useless and their history was pointless, since they constantly did the same thing over and over again, every day from the day they arrived.

"No," Itachi chuckled. "This is what happens when we become friends."

**A/N: Someone mentioned LOTR's in one of their stories here and I just had to watch the first one, it being my fav and the only one I have of the LOTR's movies, but that's okay because I'm not a fan of the second one, it being the boring one of the three, and the third one is interesting but I just love the beginning of the journey more then the end. Anyway the point is, I wanted to do a fellowship of the ring thing too, without the ring XD.**


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